Vault light, floor light, or skylight



L. W. MULFORD VAULT LIGHT, FLOOR LIGHT, OR SKYLIGHT Filed June 26, 1930Dec. 9, 1930.

j H r u L 2 in order to form Patented Dec. 9, 1930 LOGAN WILLARDMULIEORD, LONG ISLAND CITY, NEW- YORK VAULT LieH'n'FLooR- LIGHT, onSKYLIGHT Applicationv filed June 26,

The object of this invention is to devise a novel vault light, floorlight or skylight.

construction which will provide greater strength and greater durabilitythan the constructionsof the prior art, which will provide a largelyincreased light area I anda greatly decreased weight per square foot,which can be more cheaply manufactured and sold than the constructionsheretofore used and which also enables one to use a lighter and cheapercarrying construction.

It has heretofore been the practice in this art to surround the lenseswith concrete or to use a reinforced concrete frame, or to use concretebetween the metal surrounding the glass. The presence of concrete in adevice of this character has been the cause of continuous trouble fromleakage, breakage of lenses, and expense in upkeep due to frequentreplacement of the broken lenses. Cracks occur in the concrete due tovibration to which the construction is subjected, and leakage occurs dueto these cracks or to the non-sticking of the concrete to metal faces ofthe framework. The expansion of the concrete causes the breakage'of theglass lenses and, in the constructions as heretofore manufactured, wherethe lenses were not surrounded by metal, it was necessary to employskilled mechanics to chisel out the old concrete and to mix and pour newconcrete against the old concrete which was not removed.

In order to overcome these defects in constructions of this character asheretofore manufactured, I have devised a novel vault light, floor lightor'skylight. construction,

which can be fabricated from steel bars in order to obtain greaterstrength and carrying capacity and thus eliminate thenecessity ofemploying reinforcing or carrying members as required with cast ironconstruction.

The steel bars are secured together by welding, galvanizing, caulking orinterlocking, openings conforming to the contour of the lenses, and'thesteel frameworkthus formed preferably extends substantially to thetopfaces of the lenses to contribute with the waterproof'sealingcompound, surroundmg the lenses, to form a 1930. Serial No. 463,955.

non-slipping tread surface. The vault light, floor light or skylightthus formed can be manufactured at the plant in proper sizes to coverthe openings which are to be spanned. The Water proof cushion preferablyconsists of a heated tar and sulphur compound. I also eliminate thenecessity of employing Portland cement in proximity to the glass orbetween the metal surrounding the glass.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinaftermoreclearly appear, my invention comprehends a novel vault light, floorlight or skylight having a greater glass area and greatly decreasedweight.

It further comprehends a novel construction of the characterspecified,wherein the framework is fabricated from steel bars which mayextend to the top of the glass, thus providing a positive protection andshield against breakage of glassfrom expansion, and the lenses aresecured in place by means of a tar and sulphur or other water proofcompound which may form, with the exposed portion of the steel frame, atread portion which is non-slipping. I

My invention further comprehends a novel construction of the characterherein specified, wherein fabricated steel bars have secured to them,spaced cross members, the main supporting bars and the cross memberspreferably having'grooyes or channels to receive the water proofcompound which surrounds the lenses. 7

It further comprehends a novel construction of the character specified,which can be manufactured at the factory and shipped as a unit or insectionto the place of installation with a minimum cost oftransportation and, handling,

My invention further comprehends a novel construction of the characterspecified having a novel steel frameworkin which each glass isseparately pocketed so that it can be replaced by unskilledlabor in aminimum of time and without the necessity of cutting of concrete,without leaving patchwork or the liability to leakage.

Other novel features, of constructionand advantage will hereinafter moreclearly appear in the detailed description and the appended claims.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention I have shown in theaccompanying drawings a typical embodiment of it, which, in practice,will give reliable and satisfactory results. It is, however, tobeunderstood that this embodiment is typical onlyand that the variousinstrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variouslyarranged and organized, and the invention is not limited to the precisearrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein setforth.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a vault light, floor light, or skylightembodying my invention.

, Figure 2 is an end elevation of the construction seen in Figure 1.

Figure '3 is a perspective View, partly broken away, of the steelframework.

Figure 4 isa section taken through one of the lenses and two of the mainsupporting bars.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view illustrative of one manner of securingtogether a supporting bar and a T bar.

Similar numerals of reference indicate cor responding parts, 1

Referring to the drawings: v

The supporting framework of the vault light, floor 1i ht or skylight ismade up of fabricated steel bars, consisting of main suporting steelbars 1 to which cross members 2, illustrated as inverted T bars, areapplied to form lens receiving openings 3. r The mainsupporting bars 1are formed with a lower central web 4 terminating at its lower end in anenlarged base 5. The web 4 merges intofianges Gwhich extend laterallyfrom opposite sides of .abar 1, and the top faces of such flanges arepreferably provided with longitudinally extending grooves or channels 7.An upper centrally disposed web 8 preferably contributes to form thechannels 7 and preferably extends upwardly to the tread surface of thevault light, floor light or skylight construction to form a portion ofits tread surface and to contribute to form a non-slipping treadsurface.

. The T bars 2 have the general contour of an inverted T and have theircentral webs 9 extending upwardly preferably to the top face of thevault light, floorlightor skylight construction to preferably form aportion of its tread surface and to preferably contribute to form anon-sli ping tread surface. The Ts2 are provided at opposite sides withlaterally extending base flanges 10 having preferably opening throughtheir top faces the grooves 'or channels 11, the inner side walls 'ofwhich are formed by the central we bs'8.

In order to space thest'eel bars 1 and-2m gether, the central webs 8 ofthe main supporting tars a are provided a spaced intervals with thespaced slots 12 which open through the top faces of the webs 8 toreceive the webs 9 of the T bars 2. The T bars are cut out through theirbase flanges and a portion oftheir central web 9 as at 13, so that theycan be moved downwardly into spacing engagement and bring their baseflanges into the same lateral plane as that of the flanges 6 of the mainsupporting bars 1 and provide a support for the glass lenses l l.

' The side walls of the lenses 14 are preferably provided with grooves15 to provide a locking engagement with the water proof sealing compound16. This sealing compound preferably consists of a heat treated tar andsulphur compound which is poured around the lenses to fill the groovesor channels 7 and 10 and to extend to the top face of the lenses onopposite sides of the webs 8 and 9 to preferably contribute therewith toform a non-slipping tread surface.

Special attention is directed to some of the novel features of myconstruction.

The use of steel bars instead of castings and the elimination of thenecessity of using concrete provides a lighter weight for ship'- pingand handling, and also provides an increased tensile strength of theframework and of the finished construction.

The object in view, in a construction of this type, is to obtain aslarge a glass area as possible, and, where concrete has been used, themaximum glass area obtained has been about fifty-six per cent In mypresent invention eighty. or more per cent glass area is obtainable.

The vault light, floor light or sky-light con struction can be shippedas a unit or in sec tions and readily installed by unskilled labor.

The webs of the steel bars which shrround the lenses preferably extendto and form a partof the tread surface and may contribute with thesealing compound to form a nonslipping tread surface. The use of steelbars to carry the load of the construction eliminates the'necessity ofemploying additional carrying members as required with cast iron, andthe elimination of the concrete overcomes the breakage of glass and theleakage arising from cra'cksin the-concrete; 1f azglass is to bereplacedthe work'can be accomplished in a minimum of time by unskilledlabor.

My present invention provides a construction 'having increased strength,durability, and freedom of glass replacements, a greatly reduced weightper square foot and can be manufactured, so'ldand installed at a cheaper'price'than the vault lights, floor li ht'sor skylights now in use which"can be; walked upon. In so far as I am aware, I am-the first in theartto' devise a vault light, floor light or skylight construction whichcan. be walked upon, formed of fabricated steel bars out the useof'concrete.

Another important feature of this invention is that due to the decreasedWeight of the construction it is not only cheaper in shipping andhandling but it enables the architect or engineer to use a lessexpensive con struction for carrying or supporting the vault light,floor light or skylight.

In skylight construction it enables one to use large sheetsof glass andthus provide an increased light area.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a new and useful vaultlight, floor light or skylight which embodies the features of advantageenumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the abovedescription, and while I have, in the present instance, shown anddescribed a preferred embodiment thereof which will give in practicesatisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that thisembodiment is susceptible of modification in various particulars withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing anyof its advantages. I

Having thus described my invention What I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a vault light, floor light or skylight, fabricated metal barsarranged substantially parallel to provide load carrying capacity, setsof other fabricated bars interconnected at an angle with the other barsto form glass receiving openings, seats on the bars to support the glasswithin the openings, the glass extending for substantially its entiredepth in juxtaposition to the surfaces of the surrounding bars, suchbars extending substantially to the tread surface, and a sealing com*pound surrounding the glass and interposed between it and the bars.

2. In a vault light, floor light or skylight, fabricated metal barsarranged substantially parallel to provide load carrying capacity, setsof other fabricated metal bars intercon- 4 nected at an angle with theother bars to form glass receiving openings, seatson the bars to supportthe glass within the openings, and a sealing compound surrounding theglass for its entire height above its support, the bars extending to andforming a part of the tread surface to form with the sealing compound anon-slip tread.

8. In a vault light, floor light or skylight, fabricated metal barsarranged substantially parallel to provide load carrying capacity,

sets of other fabricated metal bars interconnected at an angle with theother bars to form glass receiving openings, seats 011 the bars tosupport the glass within the openings, the

tread surfaces of the glasses being closely juxtaposed to provide amaximum glass tread area and the glass being metal shielded, and sealingcompound surrounding the glasses.

LOGAN WILLARD MULFORD.

